Clarke Co. GA - Obits from the Athens Daily News/Banner-Herald 2 Jan 2001 Thanks for permission from the Athens Daily News / Banner-Herald http://www.onlineathens.com/ ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *********************************************************************** OBITUARIES Story last updated at 9:59 p.m. on Monday, January 1, 2001 Winnie Ruth Wilbanks Mount Airy Winnie Ruth Smith Wilbanks, 80, of Mount Airy, died Monday, Jan. 1, 2001. A native of Franklin County, she was a daughter of the late Robert Lee and Minnie Elizabeth York Smith. She was a homemaker and a member of Camp Creek Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by a son, Terry Wilbanks. Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday in McGahee-Griffin and Stewart Funeral Home with the Revs. Billy Burrell and Billy Harris officiating. Burial will be in Rock Springs Baptist Church cemetery. Survivors include one son, Miles Wilbanks, Demorest; two brothers, Milton Smith and Jack Smith, both of Clarkesville; one sister, Carolyn Banks, Clarkesville; six grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. The family is at the residence of her son, Miles Wilbanks, 252 East Side Drive, Demorest, and will receive friends from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. today at the funeral home. Athens Daily News, Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2001 Šopyright 2000 Athens Newspapers Inc. OBITUARIES Story last updated at 9:59 p.m. on Monday, January 1, 2001 Elizabeth Turner Toccoa Elizabeth Ilone ''Lizzie'' Turner, 88, of Route 2, Brookhaven Circle, died Saturday, Dec. 30, 2000. A native of Oconee County, S.C., Mrs. Turner was a daughter of the late Lee and Glenn Cobb Elrod, was the widow of John H. Turner, and was preceded in death by a son, Carl Turner. She was a homemaker and a member of Mullins Ford Baptist Church. Services will be at 11 a.m. today at Whitlock Mortuary with the Rev. Roger Elrod officiating. Burial will be in Mullins Ford Baptist Church cemetery. Survivors include two daughters, Betty Whiten and Kathryn Stancil, both of Toccoa; one sister, Mary Frances Davis, Toccoa; five grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. Pallbearers will be Dennis Whiten, Wayne Stancil, Gordon Garner and Brett Ivester. The family is at the home of Mr. and Mrs. James Whiten, 2524 Brookhaven Circle, Toccoa. Athens Daily News, Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2001 Šopyright 2000 Athens Newspapers Inc. OBITUARIES Story last updated at 9:59 p.m. on Monday, January 1, 2001 Alan Cranston U.S. Senator SAN FRANCISCO -- Former Sen. Alan Cranston of California, a nuclear arms control activist who ended a 24-year Senate career in 1993 under the cloud of the savings and loan industry scandal, died Sunday. He was 86. His son Kim found him slumped over a sink at his Los Altos home. The cause of death wasn't immediately known. After Cranston's retirement from Congress, the Democrat continued to champion the cause of nuclear arms control, which had been the centerpiece of his political career and his 1984 campaign for president. He withdrew from that race before the Democratic nomination, which was won by Walter Mondale. When Cranston announced in 1990 that he wouldn't seek a fifth Senate term, he cited only his diagnosis of prostate cancer. However, his approval rating at the time had plunged to a record low due to his relationship with Lincoln Savings & Loan President Charles Keating, who had just been indicted on securities fraud charges. A Senate Ethics Committee investigation led to a formal reprimand of Cranston and sanctions against four other senators, known as ''The Keating Five,'' for intervening with federal regulators on Keating's behalf. -- Associated Press Harry Dorish Pro baseball player WILKES-BARRE, Pa. -- Harry ''Fritz'' Dorish, who led baseball's American League in saves in 1952 and was the last American League pitcher to steal home base, died Sunday. He was 79. Dorish, who lived in Kingston, spent 45 years in baseball as a player, coach and scout. On June 2, 1950, he stole home in the 5th inning of a game against the Washington Senators, a feat that hasn't been repeated by an American League pitcher since. Dorish, one of the first true relief pitchers of the postwar era, led the league in 1952 with 11 saves. The next season, he finished second in the league with 18 saves. The right-hander finished his career with a 45-43 record in 834 innings pitched and a 3.83 ERA. He hit .157 in 204 career at-bats with the Red Sox, Browns, White Sox and Orioles. -- Associated Press John D. Hollingsworth Jr. Fiber-processing mogul GREENVILLE, S.C. -- John D. Hollingsworth Jr., who inherited a small textile machinery company and built it into one of the world's leading fiber-processing equipment makers, died Saturday. He was 83. Although he was one of the world's richest men, he lived for more than 30 years in a trailer behind his flagship plant. The details of his business were kept secret because the company -- John D. Hollingsworth and Son on Wheels Inc. -- is privately held. In 1994, Hollingsworth was listed at No. 208 on the Forbes 500 list with a net worth of $500 million. -- Associated Press Šopyright 2000 Athens Newspapers Inc. OBITUARIES Story last updated at 9:59 p.m. on Monday, January 1, 2001 James Cody Smith Carlton James Cody Smith, 77, of 494 Lexington Road, Athens, died Monday, Jan. 1, 2001. A native of Oglethorpe County, Mr. Smith was a son of the late Cody Keyes and Maude Mathews Smith. He retired after 34 years from Hulme Tool Co., Elberton. He was a member of Carlton Baptist Church. Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday in Carlton Baptist Church with the Revs. Doug Ivey and Marshall Tribble officiating. Burial will be in Carlton Cemetery. Survivors include his wife, Imogene Smith; one daughter, Linda Gaulding, Colbert; two sisters, Anna Laura Cooper and Mauline Drew, both of Carlton; two brothers, Lester T. Smith and G. Walter Smith, both of Comer; two grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Pallbearers will be Blayne Smith, Ricky Drew, Derek Dye, Shane Smith, Marshall King and Donald Boswell. Members of the Loyalty Sunday School Class will be honorary pallbearers. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Carlton Baptist Church Building Fund, Church Street, Carlton, Ga. 30627, or the Carlton Cemetery Perpetual Care Fund. The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. today at Lord & Stephens Funeral Homes Madison Chapel, Danielsville. Athens Daily News, Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2001 Šopyright 2000 Athens Newspapers Inc. OBITUARIES Story last updated at 9:59 p.m. on Monday, January 1, 2001 Lewis D. Umberhandt Sylacauga, Ala. Lewis David Umberhandt, 79, of Sylacauga, died Sunday, Dec. 31, 2000. A native of Habersham County, Mr. Umberhandt was a son of the late Jessie and Lucy Ella Jackson Umberhandt. He was preceded in death by a daughter, Linda McCarthy. Services will be at 3 p.m. today at Radney-Smith Funeral Chapel, Sylacauga. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery. Survivors include his wife, Peggy Umberhandt; four sons, Ronald Umberhandt, Clarkesville, Billy Umberhandt, Baldwin, and David Umberhandt and James Umberhandt, both of Toccoa; 10 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. The family will receive friends from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. today at the funeral home. McGahee-Griffin and Stewart Funeral Home, Cornelia, has charge of local arrangements. Athens Daily News, Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2001 Šopyright 2000 Athens Newspapers Inc. OBITUARIES Story last updated at 9:59 p.m. on Monday, January 1, 2001 Kenneth Bray Stockbridge Kenneth Bray, 84, of Stockbridge, died Saturday, Dec. 30, 2000. A native of Colbert, Mr. Bray was a retired supervisor with the Atlanta Army Depot, a lifetime member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5290 and past master and secretary of Stockbridge Masonic Lodge No. 691. Services will be at 2 p.m. today in Ward's Fairview Chapel, Stockbridge. Burial will be in Fairview Memorial Gardens, Stockbridge. Survivors include his wife, Mary Jane Wuske Bray; three daughters, Mary Ellen Bruce Montgomery, Stockbridge, Juliann Duncan, Seagrove Beach, Fla., and Cathy Wilkerson, McDonough; three granddaughters; a grandson; and three great-grandchildren. Athens Daily News, Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2001 Šopyright 2000 Athens Newspapers Inc. OBITUARIES Story last updated at 9:59 p.m. on Monday, January 1, 2001 Destandrick Rucker Snellville Destandrick ''Stan'' Kenyata Rucker, 26, of 3201 Kittery Drive, Snellville, died Friday, Dec. 29, 2000. A native of Hart County, Mr. Rucker was a son of Shirley Rucker Donald, Snellville, and Stanley Norman, McDonough. He was a member of Maple Springs Baptist Church, Elbert County. He was a graduate of Hart County High School, where he played basketball, baseball, football and track. He attended Georgia College in Milledgeville and DeKalb Tech in Decatur. He was employed by Komatsu Forklift Corp. Services will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday in Maple Springs Baptist Church with the Rev. Alvin Scott officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. The body will be placed in the church at noon. Survivors, in addition to his parents, include one brother, Jarrard Donald, Snellville; one sister, Shirlita Donald, Snellville; his stepfather, Darryl Donald, Snellville, and his stepmother, Deborah K. Norman, McDonough. The family is at the residence of Jacqueline Hunt, 363 Park Brown Road, Dewy Rose, and will receive friends from 6-7 p.m. today at Mack's Funeral Home, Hartwell. Athens Daily News, Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2001 Šopyright 2000 Athens Newspapers Inc. OBITUARIES Story last updated at 9:59 p.m. on Monday, January 1, 2001 Evelyn Smathers Athens Evelyn Clotfelter Smathers, 93, formerly of Athens, died Sunday, Dec. 31, 2000. A native of Athens, Mrs. Smathers was a daughter of the late John Leonard and Alice Petersen Clotfelter. She was preceded in death by her husband, Troy O. Smathers. She was a member of Young Harris United Methodist Church. Graveside services will be at 1:30 p.m. today at Prospect United Methodist Church cemetery with the Rev. Tom Lang officiating. Survivors include one sister-in-law, Mrs. Leon Clotfelter, Cartersville, and nieces and nephews. Bridges Funeral Home has charge of arrangements. Athens Daily News, Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2001 Šopyright 2000 Athens Newspapers Inc. OBITUARIES Story last updated at 9:59 p.m. on Monday, January 1, 2001 Carol 'Carkie' Williams Athens Carol Elaine ''Carkie'' Williams, 36, of 288 Bailey St., Apartment E3, died Friday, Dec. 29, 2000. A native of Oglethorpe County, she was a daughter of Richard Williams, Colbert, and Louise Martin, Athens. She was a member of Fork Bethel Baptist Church. Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday in Fork Bethel Baptist Church with the Revs. Rufus Whitlock and Victor Appling officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. The body will be placed in the church at 10 a.m. Survivors, in addition to her parents, include two sons, Dietric Stribling and Kendrick Stribling, both of Athens; one sister, Lucretia Faust, Covington; three brothers, Donald Martin and Michael Williams, both of Lexington, and Larry Faust, Maxeys; and her grandparents, James and Ruby Taylor, Lexington. The family will receive friends at the residence of James and Ruby Taylor, 34 Old Fairground Circle, Lexington. Jones Lexington Funeral Chapel has charge of arrangements. Athens Daily News, Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2001 Šopyright 2000 Athens Newspapers Inc. OBITUARIES Story last updated at 9:59 p.m. on Monday, January 1, 2001 Virginia Leslie Atlanta Virginia Louise Gresham Leslie, 78, of Atlanta, formerly of Greensboro, died Saturday, Dec. 30, 2000. A native of Greene County, Mrs. Leslie was a daughter of the late Charlie and Mary Gresham. She was a member of St. Paul Baptist Church. She was married in 1941 to Samuel Lewis, in 1946 she was married to Willie Davis Smith, and in 1977 she was married to Tommie James Leslie, Greensboro. She was preceded in death by a son, Samuel Lewis Jr., and a daughter, Willie Mae Smith. Services will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at St. Paul Baptist Church with the Rev. David Blockum officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Survivors, in addition to her husband, include four sons, Richard Lewis, Harold Smith and Willie Smith, all of Atlanta, and Johnnnie Gresham, Cleveland, Ohio; four daughters, Virginia Peek, Henrietta Smith and Eunice Smith, all of Atlanta, and Annette Smith, Washington, D.C.; two stepdaughters, Minnie Thomas, Greensboro, and Odessa Lawrence, Chicago; three stepsons, George Leslie and Cleveland Leslie, both of Greensboro, and Tracey Leslie, Atlanta; four sisters, Gussie Mae Little and Alma Phillip, both of Atlanta, Mattie Jernigan, Cleveland, Ohio, and Evelyn Scott, Indianapolis; 10 grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren. Watts Funeral Home, Union Point, has charge of arrangements. Athens Daily News, Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2001 Šopyright 2000 Athens Newspapers Inc. OBITUARIES Story last updated at 9:50 p.m. on Monday, January 1, 2001 Blaine Lee Block Greensboro Dr. Blaine L. Block, of 1070 Jernigan Bluff, Reynolds Plantation, died Sunday, Dec. 31, 2000. A native of Chicago, Ill., Dr. Block was the son of the late Louis and Emma Greenwald Block. He was a graduate of Haverford College in Haverford, Pa., and received his medical degree from Case-Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. He served his residence at Cook County Hospital in Chicago, Ill., and his graduate surgical training at the University of Illinois. He started his medical practice in Dayton, Ohio, in 1969 and became a partner in the Dayton Head and Neck Surgery Associates. He served as Chief of Surgery at Saint Elizabeth Medical Center in Dayton. He founded and was Medical Director of the Saint Elizabeth Regional Cancer Center. He served on the Board of Directors of Western Ohio Health Care, which later merged with United Health Care. He served as president of the Dayton Surgical Society and was a major contributor to the Surgical Residency Training Program at Wright State University in Dayton. He was so well-respected that the residency trainees would consider working on his rotation as winning the lottery. Dr. Block based his practice on the belief that all people were entitled to medical care, whether they are rich or poor. He once made a statement at a Medical Society Dinner that no medical degree had ever said only treat those who have insurance. He retired in 1996 and moved to Greensboro in 1997. In 1998 the Blaine Block Institute for Voice Analysis and Rehabilitation was founded in his honor by the Dayton, Ohio, Medical Society. He served with the United States Air Force with the rank of Captain in Vietnam, and he was a member of the Congregation Children of Israel, Athens. Survivors include his wife, Jane Ellen Meeks Block, Greensboro; sons, Bruce L. Block, Santa Cruz, Calif., Geoffrey Block, Denver, Colo., Ryan C. Wissinger, Dayton, Ohio; daughters, Kathy B. Snow, Denver, Colo., Allison Willcox, Arlington, Va., Jennifer W. Miller, Cumming, Ga.; brother, James Block, M.D., Baltimore, Md.; sister, Barbara Flagel, Naples, Fla.; seven grandchildren; and a number of nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Wednesday from the chapel of Bernstein Funeral Home with Rabbi Ronald Gerson officiating. Burial will follow in Oconee Hill Cemetery. The family will receive friends at Bernstein from 2-3 p.m. Wednesday. Pallbearers will be Terry Seeley, Tom Brennan, Dick Pomarolli, David Meeks, Dick Manwaring, M.J. Freeman and Jimmy Ungerleinder. The family asks that contributions be made to the following: The Loran Smith Cancer Center, Athens Regional Medical Center, 1199 Prince Ave., Athens, Ga. 20606; Haverford College, 370 Lancaster Ave., Haverford, Pa. 19041; Fund for Resident Graduate Education, Department of Surgery, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio 45415. Bernstein Funeral Home has charge of arrangements. Athens Daily News, Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2001 Šopyright 2000 Athens Newspapers Inc. OBITUARIES Story last updated at 9:50 p.m. on Monday, January 1, 2001 Lauren McKinnon Lilburn Lauren McKinnon, 21, of Lilburn, Ga., died Saturday, Dec. 30, 2000, in UAB Hospital in Birmingham from complications of leukemia following a bone-marrow transplant. Lauren was born in Fulton County. She was an honor student at Parkview High School, where she graduated in 1998, and was a member of many clubs at Parkview. She was a Junior at the University of Georgia where she was the recipient of the Hope Scholarship. She was a member of AOPi Sorority, FIJI ''Little Sister,'' and a member of Communiversity organization, a member of Cross Town Kids and a committee member for Dance Marathon. Lauren's major was Health Promotion. Lauren was a survivor of childhood cancer and received a scholarship from the American Cancer Society. The past semester she was the honoree of a huge outpouring of love, and fund-raising efforts by many sororities and fraternities at the University of Georgia to help her in her battle with cancer. As a result of these efforts, the students created the ''Lauren McKinnon Foundation,'' which will now be used to help benefit her favorite charities. Survivors are her Mother, Chery McKinnon, a Delta Airlines Flight Attendant; a very special, loving friend, Andy Thomas; grandparents, Bernice Teston of Alma, and Mr. and Mrs. John Dolvin of Decatur; aunts and uncles, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas McKinnon of Lilburn, Susan Wilson of Gainesville, Beth McKinnon of Andalusia, Ala.; great uncles and great aunts, Mr. and Mrs. John Hyers of Athens, Willene Bramlett of Tifton, Lillian Carter of Alma, Marjorie Wilson of Jacksonville, Fla.; cousins, Ross McKinnon, Ivy Holmes, Audrey and Robert Varnadore, and numerous other cousins. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, January 2, 2001, at 2 p.m. in the Mount Carmel Christian Church with the Rev. Robert E. Varnadore officiating. The honorary escort will be comprised of Sorority Sisters of Lauren and Delta Flight Attendants. Those desiring may make memorials to the Life House Ministry, 300 Colonial Central Parkway, Suite 300, Roswell, Ga. 30076, or to Camp Sunshine, P.O. Box 77236, Atlanta, Ga. 30357 in memory of Lauren McKinnon. Tom M. Wages Funeral Services, Inc., Snellville Chapel, has charge of arrangements. Athens Daily News, Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2001 Šopyright 2000 Athens Newspapers Inc.